(The Center Square) – Drivers across Washington are paying more at the pump as gas prices continue their upward climb while more than half the country saw relief while filling up heading into the busy Labor Day weekend.
Washington’s average for gasoline reached $5.37 per gallon on Tuesday, data shows. The increase marks a continuous rise over time, moving up from Monday’s average of $5.32 per gallon.
The climb is even more pronounced over the long term; drivers are paying more than last week’s average of $5.27 per gallon, last month’s rate of $5.12 per gallon, and a steep jump from the year-ago average of $4.40 per gallon, with no end in sight.
“Motorists should expect continued volatility in the weeks ahead,” wrote Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, in a blog post Monday.
Many local motorists face even higher prices depending on where they fill up. Seattle area drivers paid an average of $5.57, while the highest average for gasoline in the state was $6.26 in San Juan County as of Tuesday, data shows.
Diesel fuel prices across Washington have also experienced a steep surge, with the state average for diesel at $6.52 per gallon Tuesday, up from $6.42 Monday, $6.34 last week, $6.18 a month ago, and $5.01 per gallon a year ago.
The state’s current gas prices are significantly higher than average national costs, at $4.10 per gallon as of Tuesday.
“Average gasoline prices fell in slightly more than half of states over the last week while diesel declined in roughly half, as oil prices moved lower and offered some modest relief at the pump,” De Haan said.
Washington remains one of the most expensive places in the country to fill up, compared to rates in neighboring Idaho, at $4.60 per gallon average, and rivaling high-cost markets like California, at $5.70 per gallon average.
Industry analysts and state watchdog groups point directly to government policies as the primary driver behind Washington’s elevated price tag.
With Washington’s state motor vehicle fuel tax, at 56.5 cents per gallon, combined with the 18.4-cent federal excise duty, drivers pay nearly 75 cents per gallon in direct taxes.
Compounding the core fuel tax is the state’s Climate Commitment Act, the state’s cap-and-invest program enacted in 2021. Under the CCA structure, major carbon emitters, including petroleum refiners, must purchase allowances at state auctions for their greenhouse gas emissions.
Energy analysts at organizations like the Washington Policy Center estimate that pass-through costs from the CCA cap-and-trade auctions add between 40 and 60 cents per gallon to retail gas prices.
Officials at the Washington Department of Ecology argue that carbon regulations are a necessary component to meet state-mandated emission reduction goals.
Gov. Bob Fergusson and other state officials have previously blamed the state’s high gas prices on President Trump, despite Washington’s higher averages compared to neighboring states and the nation as a whole.
The current price spikes come at a particularly tough time for consumers as heavy Labor Day weekend travel demand squeezes regional supplies. Millions of drivers taking to the highways for end-of-summer trips have driven short-term demand to peak levels, placing additional upward pressure on retail stations already struggling with tight inventories.
Global market forces offer little near-term relief, dominated by ongoing military clashes with Iran and severe shipping blockades in the Strait of Hormuz. With roughly a fifth of the world’s petroleum passing through the narrow choke point, naval skirmishes and threats of escalation have kept crude oil prices elevated worldwide.
Meanwhile, the White House’s newly announced deal to gain access to 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil reserves will do little to offset immediate costs.
“Over the weekend, the Trump administration struck a major deal with Venezuela, a signal that the White House remains concerned about elevated fuel prices — though in reality, any benefits from increased Venezuelan output will take years to fully materialize and are unlikely to move the needle in the near term,” said De Haan. “The factors with the most immediate impact on where prices go from here remain the ongoing developments between the U.S. and Iran and continued Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries, both of which continue to exert outsized influence on global fuel markets.”
By Andrew Paxton | The Center Square